Ahead of Black Friday, the price of Apple's best earbuds have just been slashed by over 35%. Amazon has dropped the price of the Apple AirPods Pro to only $159.99. This is the best deal I've seen all year long and it's unlikely to drop further for Black Friday. Right now it's less expensive than the Apple AirPods 4 with noise cancelling. Between the two, the AirPods Pro still offers better sound quality and better noise cancellation performance.
Apple AirPods Pro for $159.99
The AirPods Pro is the best-sounding "truly wireless" earbuds for iPhone users thanks to its passively isolating in-ear design, low-distortion driver and amp, and the newer Apple H2 chip. In addition to being only one of two AirPods earbuds with active noise cancellation, the AirPods Pro has useful features like "Adaptive Transparency Mode" to hear your surroundings without removing the earbuds and "Conversation Mode" that automatically enhances the voices of people you're talking to. The newer second generation AirPods Pro replaces the Lightning port with a more universal USB Type-C port so you don't have to mix and match cables and also includes a MagSafe charging case by default.
Should you get the AirPods Pro over AirPods 4 with ANC?
Normally, I would suggest going with the AirPods 4 ANC because it's usually $70 cheaper. However, if the price is taken out of equation, the AirPods Pro is a superior earbud. Both feature active noise cancellation, but the AirPods Pro produces better sound and more effective noise cancelling because of its design. The AirPods 4 ANC is an open-ear style earbud with non-adjustable tips. They're designed to sit right outside of the ear which – while comfortable – means you get plenty of sound leakage and ambient noise intrusion.
On the other hand, the AirPods Pro is an in-ear style of earbud that sits right inside your ear canal, sealing the passage and passively isolating it from the ambient air. Adjustable tips are included to accomodate different sized ears and ensure you get that proper sealing fit, which is very important to squeeze out the best performance. At this price, the only compelling reason to still go for the AirPods 4 ANC is if you don't like the intrusive nature of in-ear style earbuds in general.
For more Apple sales, check out the best iPad deals and best iPhone deals going on right now. The Apple Black Friday Sale hasn't started yet, but we expect more Apple deals to trickle in well ahead of November 29. If you're planning to upgrade your smartphone in the near future, the new iPhone 16 is a solid contender. In our iPhone 16 review, Mark Knapp wrote that "the iPhone 16 performs great, looks good, and snaps nice photos while offering a big discount to the Pro models."
Should You Buy Now or Wait for Black Friday?
You should absolutely but it now instead of waiting for Black Friday to arrive. I predicted that the AirPods Pro would drop to $169.99, and Best Buy is currently offering it for lower than that. Unless you're specifically looking to buy the AirPods 4 ANC, which may match this price on Black Friday, I wouldn't hesitate buying it now, even if November 29 is a week away.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
